Ex-scarlet’s cancer treatment wait
FORMER Scarlet and Welsh international Matthew J Watkins has spoken of his ongoing battle with cancer after completing a programme of treatment in London.
The 18-times capped centre is poised for a scan this month to determine whether his yearlong course of intense radiation treatment at the Royal Free Hospital, has shrunk the cancer in his bones.
Despite having four intense doses of radiation spanning two days at a time in London, the 40-year-old former Scarlets, Dragons and Gloucester midfielder recently completed a second fundraising bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles for the Velindre cancer charity.
The stamina-sapping 600km ride was completed in six days and helped raise £600,000 for a charity Matthew knows all too well about given his ongoing battle with cancer.
“You can’t really say it was a great occasion but a real experience and a lot tougher than the Boston to New York bike ride I did,” Matthew said.
“It was really tough but fulfilling to have completed it and raise vital funds for Velindre.
“There was six of us that went and we had a bit of fun along the way with Shane Williams and his brother.
“It was well worth putting the time and effort in to raise that money and I would recommend it to anyone.
“I’m still down at Velindre at the moment, I’m going down next Monday for a catch-up with my doctor to see what the next stage is and to have a scan to see how the treatment has gone.
“I don’t think people realise if you’ve got cancer sometimes you’ve got to get funding for your treatment and that’s why fundraising events like the bike rides take place.
“Velindre is an unbelievable place really.”
And on his current state of health the former player, first capped by Wales against Italy in the 2003 Six Nations in Rome, added: “I could only have four treatments as it could affect your kidneys and I’ve only one anyway.
“I had follow up scans to see the treatment was going to the right place.
“I’ll probably have a scan on Monday to see if anything has changed, for better or worse, and go from there really to see what the next stage is for myself.
“I’m fit and healthy – probably more than most people – and it’s only that I’ve got this cancer in my bones that I can’t really get rid of.
“I’m just cracking on really.”
In July 2017, Matthew revealed he was undergoing a new form of radiation treatment after the disease had spread from his pelvis to his spine.
The Newport-born player was first diagnosed with the rare type of cancer in May 2013 after originally putting the soreness in his back down to the hip injury which had led to his retirement from the game in 2011.
He was referred to a specialist at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital for an MRI scan which picked up the cancer and a formal diagnosis was made.
Matthew, who played the last of his 18 games for Wales against Argentina in the summer of 2006, has received staunch support from former players and the Welsh public in his fight against cancer.
Speaking about the time when he first knew he had the disease, he said: “I had a bad back for about a year-and-ahalf after I retired so I thought it was all related to the hip.
“From February 2013, I knew something was wrong.
“At the time they didn’t know if it was cancer or a non-cancerous tumour. I was in limbo for two months really.
“I was a bit frustrated at times because we didn’t really know what was happening. But it was harder for my family than for me.”